Dear Friends,
After all we have endured over the past year, there appears a shared determination to seize upon opportunity and make the future bright. The hardships of this past year have only amplified our impatience. At United Way, we believe wholeheartedly that a region rid of poverty and rich with opportunity is possible.
Every day, our team works in feverish pursuit of challenges that prevent our neighbors from thriving and barriers that slow our progress toward that vision. As we forge ahead, your United Way is focused on building upon this momentum and mobilizing resources across sectors to maximum impact.
We are proud of our efforts to date with the PHL Covid-19 Fund which raised over $18 million for our region’s recovery efforts and our role in bridging the digital divide through PHLConnectED – a program to provide K-12 students in Philadelphia with the resources needed to connect to virtual learning.
In 2021, we convened new partnerships, created new programs, and amped up processes to ensure that individuals and families received support when needed most. We also saw our efforts become reality with the unveiling of several new United Way efforts like The Promise and Built by Philly–initiatives that focus on community-first engagement, capacity building, and being a catalyst for real change.
These forward-thinking initiatives are part of United Way’s vision for the future – a future where no one goes hungry, where everyone can afford basic needs, and where everyone is treated with the dignity they deserve. Through these efforts, we are working to create a sustainable model where we engage the community, deputize community leaders, invest capital where needed most, and create innovative solutions to lift up the lives of all Greater Philadelphians.
For the last 100 years, your United Way has been working to advance the greater good and end the devastating cycle of poverty. We have done some magnificent work to expand opportunity throughout our region, but we know that our neighbors cannot wait another 100 years for change.
We also know that none of the work we do would be possible without the support of our donors and partners. With your help, we will continue to drive important conversations and provide scalable solutions to help our region thrive. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bill Golderer
Download Leading the Way 2020-2021